Straddling the scenic River Avon in the southwest of England, the vibrant city of Bristol attracts vast numbers of visitors throughout the year. With the airport a short 20-minute drive away from the city centre, many of those arriving enjoy the convenience of hiring a car before either heading straight to their accommodation or delving into all that the city has to offer, including a rich maritime and industrial heritage.
Bristol Cathedral stands prominently on the city skyline (Photo: Nick via Flickr)
There are a total of seven national car hire companies based on-site at Bristol Airport, all of which are signposted and within easy walking distance to the airport terminal building. As an added bonus, some also have information desks in the arrivals lounge.
Our car rental company search results
Although it’s simple to secure a car on arrival in Bristol, you might miss out on cheap car hire deals and discounts only found online. Arranging your hire car in advance is likely to save you money, while also guaranteeing you the car you want. To help you do precisely that, TravelMag.com has dug deep to find the best car hire companies based on three categories – Best value, Best for families and Best for luxury cars. You’ll find our results below.
Europcar are our top pick for best value, thanks to very good customer reviews combined with an impressive choice of some of the cheapest cars available at Bristol Airport. But not only do they ensure you won’t have to dig too deep into your pockets, they also provide some excellent services that other hire companies do not – most notably a delivery service that means your chosen car can actually be dropped off at your home or place of work. And if that’s not enough, if you’re travelling during the coming months, then you might even land yourself 25% off your booking thanks to a generous summer sale. But get in quick, as the offer is only available for a limited time.
A quick glance at searches for larger, family-friendly cars soon revealed Hertz to be our company of choice in this category. With a wide range of options, from a modest Kia Optima to a lavish Mercedes E-Class, those travelling with children will be spoilt for choice, and are certain to find something to suit their taste and budget. On the official Airport website, they claim to offer deals for as little as £16 a day, although you’re likely to have to pay a little more than that for a larger car. One downside is that their desk is only open from 7am – 11pm daily, which could cause inconvenience for those with a very early departure or late arrival time.
The Sixt branch in Bristol Airport offer rental cars to both leisure and business visitors, whether visiting for one weekend or longer. They have a large fleet of premium vehicles, including rugged 4x4s such as the Jeep Renegade through to luxury car hire options and sports cars, such as the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and BMW 5-Series, for those looking to turn heads during their visit to Bristol. Sixt’s opening hours are also slightly more favourable than some of its competitors, with their desk available from 7am through to midnight each day. At time of writing, they also offer an early booker discount, enabling customers to save up to 25%.
